


Stranger things have happened

by everwitch



Series: In Every Universe [4]
Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: A bold proposition, A spilled drink, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Clubbing, Explicit Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Flirting, Flourescent body paint, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, It's all Pez's fault, M/M, Misunderstandings, Oral Sex, Shower Sex, So much want, bit of angst, body glitter, so much attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28286130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everwitch/pseuds/everwitch
Summary: Two strangers meet in a club, one all decked out in fluorescent paint and body glitter, one helplessly captivated. A spilled drink leads to a bold proposition that could lead to so much more, if it wasn't for the disheartening fact that Alex is so clearly in this for the fantasy, for the picture Henry paints, for the alluring illusion of someone suave and sexy and intriguing. There's no way Alex will be at all interested in Henry, once this night comes to an end and the illusion is washed away. Right?
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Series: In Every Universe [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071992
Comments: 17
Kudos: 89





	Stranger things have happened

It was, oh God. It was one of the most dizzyingly irresistible men Henry had ever seen.

Who had just spilled his no-doubt ridiculously expensive drink all over Henry's favourite tank top.

Henry swallowed. He thought about the picture he painted, about how fucking stupid he must look. He knew he should never have let Pez get him all dolled up like this, should never have indulged his best friend's new obsession with fluorescent paints and fucking body glitter. God, this whole night out was a disastrous idea. Henry didn't like clubs, didn't particularly enjoy finding himself in a sea of obnoxiously loud, alarmingly carefree strangers who all looked at Henry like they could tell just how badly he'd rather be anywhere, _anywhere_ else. Who looked at Henry like they'd rather he was anywhere else, too.

And yet... This man – the sexiest of men, just, _objectively_ speaking – wasn't looking at Henry like he thought Henry looked like a complete idiot. Instead, there was something undeniably thrilling about how his eyes glazed over as he drank in Henry's appearance, and Henry couldn't say that he didn't shiver in anticipation when the man put a hand on his arm and fired off a charismatic smile. God, he was fucking delectable.

"I'm so sorry, man, didn't see you there. Fuck, I've kinda ruined your top. Let me make it up to you. Can I buy you a drink? Please?"

And, well. Henry might not have liked clubs very much, but this wasn't his first rodeo, and as unlikely as it might have been, there was only one way to interpret the firm pressure of the guys hand on Henry, and that searching look in his eyes, and the way his voice was so clearly laced with intoxicating, exhilarating intent. This guy wanted. Wanted _Henry._

Henry licked his lips.

A drink might be tolerable. Sitting at the bar together might be just fine, even though they'd barely hear one another over that stupidly thumping bass. Hitting the floor might actually be nice, gravitating together in that sea of bodies, closer and closer, subtle touches shifting into bold exploration until, finally, a whispered proposition might be Henry's ticket out of here, in the arms of another, at least for the night.

God, Henry _hated_ clubs. So much fucking work. And for what?

The man was still watching Henry hopefully, expectantly. He hadn't taken his hand off Henry's arm, but his hold had loosened significantly, sort of like he was expecting Henry to pull away. Like he wanted Henry to be certain that was an option.

Henry licked his lips again.

"You know, I should probably change out of this."

The man quirked an eyebrow.

"You could come with," Henry elaborated. He shifted his feet, leaning in just a little bit, mere inches closer. "If you'd like. I'm not much for clubs, anyway."

"Oh," the man breathed out. His eyes flickered between Henry's eyes and his lips. "You, uh. You sure you got all dressed up tonight just to leave before ten thirty?"

Right. The body glitter. Henry had almost managed to forget.

"With you?" Henry said lightly. He dared a hopeful smile. "Yeah. Definitely."

"Fuck, yeah. Okay." The man grinned. He looked positively elated. "God, I don't even know your name."

"I could tell you my name," Henry offered tentatively. Not that he really expected to form any lasting connection, here, after propositioning this man so quickly. It was just, well. He wouldn't necessarily be opposed. "Maybe you could tell me yours, in return."

"Maybe after?" the man said quickly. "It's, ah. It's kind of _really_ doing it for me, right now. Not knowing."

Henry nodded, once. He could work with that, could embody the fantasy that this man evidently saw in him – the daring stranger, one who wore tight jeans and an almost sheer, white tank top and makeup that glowed in the night, someone who invited you into his bed after only a heated glance and a single, electric touch. Someone mysterious. Someone exciting.

Someone completely unlike regular, boring Henry.

"Let's get out of here."

Henry texted Pez in the taxi, to let him know he should find someplace else to stay tonight. Pez, who had spent nearly two hours perfecting every detail of Henry's appearance, seemed disproportionately delighted with the fact that Henry had barely stayed at the club for ten minutes.

_fucking get it, H!! never in my life have I been more proud to be sexiled. tell your man he's got fucking good taste_

Henry's expression must have been doing something interesting, because the man was watching him curiously.

"My roommate says hi." Henry slipped his phone into his pocket. He didn't see the need to elaborate further on Pez's message. "He, uh, won't be home, tonight."

"Alright.” Another irresistible grin. “Good.”

The door had barely closed behind them before Henry found himself pressed up against it, eager hands roaming his chest.

“God, look at you. Look at _you.”_

The man was tugging at Henry’s tank top, his pupils blown wide as he pulled, naked skin revealing itself inch by inch. Henry easily raised his arms, let him pull it all the way off. His heart was beating rapidly, desperately.

“Fuck, that’s a lot of glitter. You look so fucking incredible.” The man splayed his hands on Henry’s naked chest, fingernails digging deliciously into his skin. “You feel incredible.”

Henry let his own hands settle on the man’s waist, then tugged lightly. And oh, how willingly he came, how softly he smiled against Henry’s open mouth as their bodies pressed together, finally, the contact completely blissful yet still nowhere near enough. The kiss was so great, though, and Henry let himself savor it for a good while, gave himself time to commit this man’s touch and his mouth and his tongue and his devastatingly gorgeous smile to memory.

Then he pulled back, just enough for a moment of quietly affirming eye contact, long enough for the man to nod unmistakably. Immediately, Henry sank to his knees.

And it was good, God was it _good._ Taking the man’s cock in hand and licking slow stripes all the way down to the hilt, his eyes half-lidded as he listened to the wordless whimpers and quiet curses that earned him. Finally getting the man’s eager hands on his own cock, the delicious friction, the speed just right, the whispered words in his ear so perfect, _come on, I’ve got you, baby, just let go, that’s it, baby. All mine._

And God, he truly was, wasn’t he? What he wouldn’t give for this man to stay in his bed, to come back, to make Henry come so wonderfully, completely undone time and time again. As many times as this man would have him.

Henry took a shaky step backwards. He felt utterly exhausted. To think they actually hadn’t even made it to the bedroom.

“God. Fuck.” The man leaned back against the wall. He was decidedly out of breath, his smile lazy, relaxed. So perfect. “You, I… You. Just, wow.”

Henry bit back his own smile.

“Thank you for this,” he said, perhaps a little too sincerely. God, they’d just had a drunken, clumsy fumble in his hallway, hadn’t they? And it had still been that _good._ “I had a great time.”

Although actually, come to think of it, Henry couldn’t say that he’d been all that drunk.

“You’re lovely,” he added, impulsively. God, this definitely wasn’t part of the protocol for maintaining the appearance of the suave stranger this man had taken him for, earlier that night, but Henry couldn’t quite bring himself to care. It was kind of all over anyway, wasn’t it? “I, uh. I hope you enjoyed it. The not knowing.”

Something seemed to shift in the man’s expression.

“Alex,” he said, his tone suddenly determined. “Or well, Alexander. But I’d like to think we’re acquainted enough for a nickname, by now.”

Henry blinked. Oh. Alex. Alexander.

A name to go with the memory.

“And you?” the guy prompted. He shifted his feet. God, did he actually look nervous? “Unless you’d rather I pulled my pants back up and, you know, just left. I will, if that’s what you want.”

Henry’s mind was spinning. What he wanted? What _did_ he want?

Could what he really wanted actually be an option?

“Henry. I’m Henry.” He’d spoken at least five seconds too late. Fuck, he must seem like such a bloody idiot. “You, uh. You don’t need to leave.”

“Don’t need to,” Alex repeated. He looked strangely hopeful. “That’s nice. Still not necessarily the same thing as wanting me to stay, though?”

“I do,” Henry said quickly. “I… I really do. Please.”

“Alright.” Alex’s smile widened. Like this could really be that easy. Like Henry might actually get to _have_ this, whatever it was. “I, uh. I think I have glitter everywhere.”

“God, me too.” Henry grimaced. “It’s, my roommate, he… It’s his latest thing. Body makeup. And somehow, his latest thing always ends up ruining me one way or another.”

“I quite like you ruined,” Alex confessed quietly, his hands finding their way back to Henry’s waist. “Although, it’s not… I’d kind of love to see you without it? Like, just you. Not the elaborate fantasy.”

Henry stared at him.

“I thought you liked that. The fantasy.”

“Oh, I did. I do.” A sheepish grin. “But I’m not gonna ask a fantasy out for coffee, you know? There’s a time and a place for body glitter.”

Henry opened his mouth, then closed it again. What?

“Are you asking me out for coffee?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Alex’s smile dimmed slightly. “I mean. If you’d like?”

“I would.” Henry swallowed. “Alex, I _really_ would.” 

“Yeah?” Alex asked. He grinned again. God, he was so beautiful. “Wow, okay. Great.”

“Great,” Henry echoed. He smiled, too. “We, um. We should probably actually do something about this fucking glitter.”

“Could something involve a hot shower?” Alex asked curiously. His grip on Henry’s waist tightened, just slightly. “Like I said, I’d love to just… See you wash this off. See _you.”_

“Do you honestly think I’d say no to that?” Henry asked shakily. “Alex, have you seen yourself?”

Alex’s grin softened into something a little more gentle. More delicate.

“Not the way you see me, I don’t think,” he said quietly. He leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Henry’s cheek. “Now, come on. I think I’d quite like to blow you in the shower, after we’re clean.”

“Fuck,” Henry muttered, helplessly. God. How was any of this _real._ “Alex, you can’t just… I mean, yes, I’d _love_ that, but you can’t just say things like-”

“Baby,” Alex cut in, and oh _God,_ he already knew exactly what that did to Henry, didn’t he? “Just, let me take care of you. Okay?”

“Alex,” Henry breathed out. God, he was going to let himself have this. He was going to let himself be led into his own bathroom, where Alex would pull him in under the water, and wash away the sweat and the paint and all the stupid glitter, and willingly get on his knees for him, for _Henry,_ and not for some nonexistent illusion. It was perfect. It was too perfect. “Yes. Please.”

Henry didn’t need to ask twice.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you're having a lovely time this holiday season! ♡


End file.
